SAVE stands for Saving Asia’s Vultures from Extinction. It’s a consortium of like-minded, regional and international organisations, created to oversee and co-ordinate conservation, campaigning and fundraising activities to help the plight of south Asia’s vultures. You can find out more about SAVE, its mission, and the partners involved here.

Fifteen years ago there were millions, now they’ve almost completely disappeared. Vultures might not be the prettiest birds, but does that make it OK for us to let them disappear?

Three species of South Asia’s vultures have declined by 97% and one of the species by 99.9%. Their decline has been quicker than that of any other wild bird, including the dodo. These magnificent birds are on the brink of extinction but with your help we can save them.

The shocking decline is down to the veterinary drug, diclofenac, toxic to any vulture that feeds on the carcass of recently treated cattle. The drug was banned for veterinary use in India, Nepal and Pakistan in 2006, but it continues to be sold and used illegally today.

Without vultures

Feral dogs have moved into carcass dumps increasing the spread of diseases such as rabies.

Traditional sky burials of some Himalayan and Parsi communities cannot be carried out.

Life is much harder for local hide and bone-collectors, who rely on cleaned carcasses in order to earn a living. And many cattle owners now have to pay to have livestock carcasses buried or burnt.

To save these magnificent birds from extinction we need your help. For every £25.000 raised a new vulture safe haven can be created. Please help us help them. Donate today before it is too late for these magnificent birds.

You will be taken to the RSPB website. The RSPB will administer funds on behalf of the SAVE partners

What is SAVE doing?

SAVE is working to rid the market of diclofenac for veterinary use; lobbying Governments and showing farmers alternative drugs that are just as effective in treating cattle. While these issues are being tackled, SAVE has established captive populations of vultures at centres in India, Nepal and Pakistan. The birds will be released only when it is safe for them in the wild once more. We hope that won’t be too far away, but there’s still a lot to do.